Two Hours to Kill (Quest yet to be accepted)

Continued from here.

Adaar grabbed up the bag of loot and hefted slowly it over his shoulder. Pain in his arm and side reminded him to pay a visit to a healer soon. He needed to drop off the extra loot first, possibly giving the whole lot to Mike's family. "It would be fitting," he muttered to himself. "It was his fight too after all."

He headed first to a guard station, leaving the blacksmith behind him. It sounded like someone was shouting or arguing there, but he knew Sienna could handle any problems. Maybe she was the reason of the yelling; he could only guess. He shifted the bag into a better position as he walked down the dirt road. All around him were Hylians at work, from various craftsman and warriors to teachers and magicians, culminating in a familiar and somewhat relaxing background noise Adaar had grown to love.

The guard station came into view as Adaar rounded the corner. A few hunters were there, passing the time between shifts and hunting by telling stories and other events. One he recognized from the rescue party who had escorted him back after the attack. Upon seeing Adaar the man excused himself from the group and met Adaar halfway.

"Tough luck out there my friend. That must have been one hell of a fight." He held his hand in greeting. He was one of the many who watched and protected those in the Western Caves. Adaar had seen him a few times over the years, but the man's name currently escaped him. He was one of the older 'soldiers' though, like Adaar; One of the few who had survived The Invasion.

Adaar dropped his heavy load and shook the man's hand. "Haven't seen that big of a fight in a while. Damn moblins planned the whole thing." He glanced over the man's shoulders at the others. They seemed so young and carefree, laughing and joking about the latest animal hunt. In a few more years they'd be a part of the boarder patrol, just like Mike. "Makes you wonder what else those pigs are doing out there."

"I've seen a few pushes like this before, but never in the Woods. Most of them happened back East, past the Western Caves." Adaar caught a glimpse of sorrow cross the man's face: He had lost people too. "It's inevitable I guess. They know we're out here somewhere. Name's Byron by the way."

"Adaar. You spend most of your time out there?" He was curious. Most of his life had been spent in the Lost Woods as hunting for food was his forte, and he rarely visited the Western Caves anymore.

"I shift back and forth, gathering information. A few bigwigs back home like to know what's going on out on the borders. A few weeks here and there to assess what's going on, then sneak back home to report. They let me rest for a week, then send me out again somewhere else." He seemed to enjoy his job well enough. Adaar knew he wouldn't last a week back home before going crazy. He'd much rather live in the Lost Woods than underground in the Western Caves.

"Well, as long as it keeps you busy." He smiled. "It's nice to know somebody's keeping tabs on us out here."

Byron nudged the bag at Adaar's feet with his foot. "Is this from the fight?"

"Yeah. I was thinking of giving it all to Mike's family..." He sighed, the memory of Mike's death flashing in his mind.

"If you don't mind, I could take it over there. I wanted to stop by their place anyway after hearing about what happened." He grabbed the bag with both hands before slinging it over his shoulder.

"Fine by me," Adaar replied with some relief. He didn't want to open those wounds quite yet. "I've got to find myself a healer anyway."

"Ah yes, get yourself fixed up." He waved a Hylian boy over, probably a kid from the stables. Mike lived a good distance across camp, and a horse would be better suited at carrying the heavy load that far. "Good to meet you Adaar." He shook Adaar's hand once more before they parted ways.

"Until next time Byron."

A few minutes later Adaar sat in the waiting room at a House of Healing. Not only were they staffed with doctors and nurses, but also those with a gift for magic. A magical healer or two were always present to help with any serious injuries that bandages alone cannot heal.

It wasn't long before one such healer approached Adaar and inquired of his injuries. A few minutes and complaints about hunters later, the Healer finished her spell and sent Adaar on his way. Lucky for him and his empty wallet, Hunters and Border Patrol didn't have to pay for any injury obtained while on duty. As he left, he couldn't help overhearing a discussion between two nurses:

"What's with all these kids coming in with bite marks?" She seemed the younger of the two, possibly the trainee of the other.

The older lady shoved a few more bandages into her apron, obviously frustrated. "They're all from Deku Babas. Those pesky weeds sprouted again in that blasted field outside of camp. The kids are trying to cut them down themselves in hopes of finding a rupee or two."

"Oh, I've heard of them before. Why hasn't someone taken care of it already?" Obviously the girl hadn't been out much. When that field sprouted, there could be anywhere from five to fifty Deku Babas, with a few Big ones spread out like officers of the plant army.

"I'd have my husband go out and cut 'em down, but he's still busy building that new shop down the street." As she pointed out of the House of Healing she saw Adaar, and realizing what he was, the solution to a busy workday.

"I got it." he said before she could even get a word out. "I could use the rupees anyway."